New Year, New You
by Optimistic Alaina
Summary: Rachel has a plan for the New Year, but what happens when Noah is thrown into the plan suddenly? Rated T  Because Noah has a bad mouth, and may become M if the story goes that way .
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Glee, if I did Mark Salling would be locked in my bedroom. Tell me if you like it, I plan on continuing it, but I have no specific plans, so suggestions are welcome.**

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As Rachel Barbara Berry woke up on December 31st 2010, she had one thought on her mind, starting the New Year with a clean slate. She had spent the last few weeks as an emotional train wreck; with her recent breakup with Finn Hudson she decided tomorrow was the start of a new year and a new Rachel. She had no plans for New Years Eve, her dads were off at a soiree in Columbus and she was home alone. Her plan for the day was to gather any reminders of her and Finns doomed relationship and get rid of them before midnight.

When the clock stroked 12:00, she would be the new, independent, free of Finn Rachel. She would celebrate with a custom glass of champagne, and then throw her box of Finn-related material in the fireplace.

As Rachel got out of bed she reached to her nightstand to check her phone, the final chance to receive a good morning text from Finn before his number was deleted for the New Year. She took a shower and went through her normal morning routine. Preparing herself breakfast Rachel planned out the rest of the day.

Rachel curled up on the couch with her cup of peppermint coffee and turned the tv on to catch the morning news. She decided that she would make a trip to the mall, a New Year meant new clothes, the grocery store, finger foods to help her make it to midnight, and the Chinese food place to pick up dinner.

Two hours later, Rachel grabbed her car keys and headed out the front door. Rachel made her way to the mall with credit card in hand, ready for some serious shopping. She went through several stores selecting new dresses, new skirts, knee-highs and tops. After a well spent three hours Rachel decided to stop in one final store, the music shop to get new sheet music to practice.

Rachel wandered around the store, picked out a few Broadway vocal books before heading to the cashier. Busy digging through her purse for her wallet, she failed to even glance at the person behind the counter.

"Berry buying Broadway music, how unsuspected," the deep voice said sarcastically. Rachel stopped digging through her bag and looked up.

"Noah, since when do you work at this lovely establishment?" Rachel asked, surprised that he was actually working.

"After I got out of juvie," Puck said grabbing the back of his head out of embarrassment, "my mom told me I had to find a real job or move out, so here I am…"

"Well, I am glad you are taking responsibility Noah, it shows how much you have matured." Rachel said still staring at Puck without realizing the reason she was at the counter in the first place.

"$22.38" Puck said, but a confused Rachel looked at him with a new dumbfound look on her face. Puck chuckled before continuing, "Rach it's $22.38 for the books."

Rachel jumped out of her odd trance, "Sorry," she continued digging through her bag for her wallet, "I wasn't expecting to run into anyone I knew, I was just thrown off for a minute. I apologize for holding up the line and keeping you from working, usually I am not this out of it. I…" Rachel began to rant.

"It's okay Berry, there is no line, and not much else to do anyway, chillax." Puck said trying to calm the suddenly frantic Rachel, "What are you doing for New Years Eve?"

"Oh nothing, my dads are out of town, just celebrating it on my own. They bought me the traditional celebratory champagne and I have a night of movie musicals planned I guess. Nothing to exciting, What are your plans Noah?" Rachel avoided mentioning her actual plans, because those were just embarrassing.

"I don't know, my mom and sister are always in bed by the time it hits midnight, and San-…, well there is nothing else to do." Puck said, trying to avoid dragging Santana and Finn into the conversation for both of their sanity.

"It appears we are in the same boat. Well I really must be going, I have some Chinese food with my name on it waiting for me to pick up," Rachel said finally prepared to leave. "Have a good New Years Eve Noah."

"You too," Puck said to Rachel as she left the music store. His eyes followed her back as she turned out of the store and into the crowd of the mall before looking back down at her bag with the music she just purchased lying on the counter.

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Rachel sped through the grocery store, picking up the essentials for the evening, as she waited in line to check out, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She flipped it open to see a new text from Puck.

_Noah: Left ur new music at tha store, I have it, just let me kno when u want it._

Rachel quickly racked her brain, concluding that she must have been so flustered (a topic that she hadn't even tried to decipher yet) that she left the bag on the counter.

_Rachel: Thank you Noah, you wouldn't mind dropping it off on your way home would you? Or is that too inconvenient, because I can wait._

_Noah: I can stop after wrk I get off at 10, c u then_

As Rachel read Noah's reply she felt that same flutter in her chest that she experienced earlier that day when she encountered Noah in the music store, an unfamiliar feeling for the usually well composed Rachel.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry it took me a week, I just had to figure out where I wanted this to go. Let me know if you like it. Reviews are love. Also, I don't own Glee.**

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Puck got off of work, grabbed the bag that Rachel had left at the store earlier, and headed out to his truck. ON the way over to Rachel's house he tried to figure out why she had acted so different. It was like he was meeting a completely new Rachel. It was something he decided wasn't worth worrying about and he arrived at her house 20 minutes later.

As he approached the front door, he heard music coming from the house that was so loud, it warranted a noise violation from the Lima Police Department. He walked up to the door, knocked and rang the doorbell, but he highly doubted that Rachel and whoever else was inside would hear him. He waited a minute, before pounding on the door. Again when there was no answer he reached for the door knob to find it unlocked.

It had looked like a tornado had just went through the Berry living room. There were throw pillows everywhere, stuff was knocked over and Chinese food everywhere. On the kitchen counter there was a neat little set up of crackers and juice, but other than that, everything was a mess. There was no sign of Rachel, and Puck was starting to worry. He went over to the entertainment center and turned down the volume on the surround sound system.

He was about to start searching for Rachel when he heard his name. "NOOOAAAHHHHH!" Puck whipped around towards the staircase and saw a very disheveled (yet hot) Rachel Berry sitting at the top of the staircase. She is in nothing but an oversized t-shirt and shorts, and had a wine glass in one hand.

"The fuck Berry?" were the only words that Puck could say at the sight of an obviously drunk Rachel Berry. "I simply began my New Years celebration a little bit earlier than originally planned. Care to join me Mr. Puckerman?" Rachel said as she scooted down the stairs, still sitting.

Puck stood there in awe as Rachel stumbled across the living room to the kitchen, grabbing what Puck now realized was a nearly empty bottle of champagne. "Berry, did you drink that all by yourself?" Noah questioned, not really prepared for the answer he knew was coming.

"You are very observant Noah, I decided that I needed to drink earlier and in higher quantities than previously stated due to recent events that lead to this rather odd situation in which we both currently find ourselves." Rachel replied.

"Leave it to you to still jabber even when intoxicated." Noah laughed as Rachel took another swig from the bottle. He quickly dove towards her and grabbed the bottle. "I am cutting you off Berry, I don't think you need anymore of this tonight."

Rachel reached for him, but his reflexes were to fast for the drunk Rachel. "Noah, I demand you return my alcohol immediately!" Rachel demanded in a angry, but still sort of cute way.

"That is not happening. I was planning on just dropping off your music and leaving, but I don't think you are in any condition to be left alone tonight. Why are drinking and acting more crazy than normal anyway?" Puck asked. Rachel had been pretty happy up until this point, but the moment Puck asked the fairly intrusive question, her head dropped and the smile wiped off of her cheery face.

"I don't want to talk about it." Rachel grunted before plopping on the couch. Puck continued standing with his hands in his pockets not sure what his next move was. He walked over to the couch and stood in front of the clearly upset Rachel.

"Seriously Rach, drinking by yourself, destroying your living room, not talking. These are not good signs. What the fuck happened?" He asked with a little more of a serious tone to his voice. Rachel didn't look up to him, she just pulled her knees to her chest and nearly mumbled her reply.

"It's none of your business Puckerman, now please be a gentleman and leave." Rachel was obviously distraught.

"Not gonna happen Berry," Puck walked to the other side of the couch, grabbed the remote for the tv and sat next to her. "I am not leaving until you tell me what is wrong, or you sober up."

"The gesture is appreciated, however unnecessary, I am completely capable of taking care of myself, and I fully intend on ringing in the New Year by myself, so please leave!" She took her two feet and tried to push Puck off the couch, however her tiny frame was no match for the football player who captured her feet and laid them across his lap.

"I told you, you have two options, one is easy and one is something that only time can heal, so if you choose the later I believe you will not be ringing in the New Year by yourself." Puck said as he turned on the television to the New Year's Eve countdown.

Rachel glared at the mohawked boy sitting across from her, she crossed her arms and made an obvious "Hmph" sound before relaxing her muscles a bit and turned to the television.

Puck wasn't too sure why he decided to stay, but he watched the TV and texted Mike telling him that he wouldn't be at the party. It just seemed wrong to let Rachel, who he was pretty sure had never been drunk before, be alone in this state on New Years Eve, he thought she may do something rash, she was Rachel Berry after all. And she looked kinda hot right now.


End file.
